Support for tray on folding bathtubs



M. HOLLANDER SUPPORT FOR TRAYS ON FOLDING BATHTUBS Filed Jan. 29, 1947 FI I- 1N VENT OR. Maurice flollqndez:

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 20, 1948 aliases SUPPORT FOR TRAY ON FOLDING BATHTUBS Maurice Hollander, New York, N. Y.

Application January 29, 1947, Serial No. 725,116

My invention relates to improvements in bathing receptacles for babies and young children; and more particularly a bathing receptacle or stand of the folding type. comprising a body or container fashioned out of strong textile fabric capable of holding a quantity of water without leaking; and secured at the top of a framework made of movably connected parts; so that the entire unit can be readily set up when needed; and collapsed and put aside when it is not required.

An important object of the invention is to provide an adjustable framework with a bathing receptacle of the kind mentioned, and carrying beneath the receptacle a suitable support for towels, clothing, pins and other articles for drying the child and dress ng it after the washin is finished; and having the support so disposed that it will automatically swing into collapsed position with the framework when the latter is folded; and move back into place to serve its intended purpose when the framework and receptacle are set up to permit the washing operation to be performed.

Another object is to provide a bathing stand of the folding type, with a support in the form of a tray beneath the body of the receptacle; the entire device being capable of manipulation in the manner outlined above; and being of simple construction; inexpensive to produce, efficient in operation; strong. durable and adapted for longcontinued use without getting out of order, and designed to be quickly and easily manipulated whenever the washing of the child becomes necessary.

Other objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in the ensuin specification, taken with the drawings, which disclose a form in which the invention is to be embodied; and the novel features are defined in the appended claims. This disclosure, however, is by way of example only, and in practice I may resort to changes not detailed herein, but in full harmony with the principle and spirit of the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bathing stand and receptacle upon a collapsible framework, and bearing a tray beneath the body of the receptacle, in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of one end of said tray or support and the mounting and operating connections therefor.

Figure 3 shows said support or tray lifted. out of operative position; and

2 Claims. (Cl. 248166) Figure 4 is a perspective view of the mounting bar for the tray.

The framework carrying the bathing receptacle comprises a pair of legs at each end; each pair consisting of an outside rearward slanting leg I and an inside forward slanting leg 2, these legs being pivotally united by a pivot 3. The legs cross each other with the lower parts of the legs I in front when the stand is set up. The fabric body at the top is indicated by the numeral 4. It has the shape of a trough with closed ends; and is secured in any suitable manner, as by fastening its opposite front and back edges to bars 5 joined to the tops of the legs I and the tops of the legs 2. It will be folded fiat when the legs are moved into registering or overlying positions about their pivots 3. To the upper ends of the legs I I conmeet a frame 6 overlaid with cloth I and hinged to the framework in any suitable manner. The frame and cloth forms a cover, to be swung up and then down at the back when the child is being washed in the receptacle; and when the stand is collapsed to be put away; or forward and down to close the tub and serve as a table on which the ch ld can be laid after bathing to be dried and dressed. This part of the construction is fully described in my copending application, Serial No. 701.333, filed October 4, 1946; and is not a part of the invention of this case. The legs I and the legs 2 are preferably braced near their lower ends by cross bars 8.

To mount the tray upon the framework, I utilize with each pair of legs a mounting element or bracket 9 in the form of a U-shaped clip, with one arm long and one short. These clips are affixed to the front edges or faces of outer legs I, below the pivot 3. The short arm overlaps the outer side, and the longer arm overlaps the inner face or side of this leg I. To the inner arm of each bracket or clip 9 is pivotally secured by a suitable rivet 9a an angle bar I0 extending back to the lower part of the inner leg 2. The clip is wider than the thickness of the leg I, so that the outer surface of the long arm thereof is about flush with the inner surface of the adjacent leg 2. Each angle bar is held with one web vertical and attached by the rivet 9a to a clip, and the other web 12 is horizontal and extends away from the legs I and 2. The ends of the support or tray 13 rest on the webs l2 and are made fast thereto by screws or other means.

The rear part of each bar or member Ill has a slot M in its vertical web H, and this slot receives a pin I5 affixed to the adjacent leg 2; the slot and pin being so arranged as to keep the bar I in horizontal position and running from front to rear when the framework is distended as illustrated in Figure 1. The slot begins at a point near the top of the bar and runs forward and downward past the middle of the bar; the length thereof being in line with the pivot 9a. Each slot extends almost up to rivet 9a, and the studs l are near the rear edges of the legs 2. Therefore, if the bars l0 and the tray is horizontal when the unit isset up as presented in Figure, 1; the movement of the legs toward each other to collapse the structure causes the studs Hi to exert a cam action. on the upper edges of the slots l4' and swing the bars l0 upward and forward. Thus the bars and tray finally come into the positions shown in Figure 3, with the tray lying virtually in the plane of the legs at the two ends of the device.

The mode of operation of the stand is therefore certain and the construction is quite simple, as well as strong and able to withstand considerable rough handling. When the framework is unfolded, the opposite" action takes place, and the tray is adjusted nicely and smoothly into. horizontal position, as indicated by the broken lines in Figure 1.

It will now be seen that the construction and design above set forth attains all the objects and advantages of the invention in a quite ellicjien't, and inexpensive manner. The elements 9 have openings It for nails or screws to affix it to the. legs I.

Having. described my invention, what I believe to be new is 1. A, stand for a receptacle of flexible sheet material, comprising a folding framework having. apair of legs at each end supportingv said receptacle at their tops, a pivot uniting the legs of each pair between their extremities, a mounting element on one leg of each pair, a pin on the other leg of each pair, and a bar associated with each pair of legs, each bar having pivotal connection with one of said elements and having a slot beginning adjacent its said pivotal connection and extending longitudinally therefrom; each pin engaging the slot of. the bar in proximity thereto, said slots being" inclined from side to side in the bars in such direction that when said legs are folded together the bars are actuated by the pins into alinement with the associated legs, and when the stand is set up, the bars are lowered into substantially horizontal' position.

2. The standaccording to claim 1 wherein the mounting elements hold the bars spaced far enough from the legs carrying said element to enable other legs when folded to lie between the first-named legs and said bars.

MAURICE HOLLANDER'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Country Date Great Britain Aug. 20, 1931 Number Number 355,121 

